Skip to main content

IKEA pegboard and cart make home networking a thing of beauty


No matter where I used to put my networking equipment, they either occupied a lot of space or became hard to access, not to mention that the cables tended to get tangled and accumulate dust and spiderwebs. Relocating my networking equipment, as I’ve done a few times before, was also an unpleasant experience, having to gather all the devices, power adapters, and networking cables and sort through what was what.

Having seen structured media enclosures in new homes, I was inspired to achieve something functionally similar for a DIY project.

As I was perusing IKEA, I came across the VESKEN cart and the SKÅDIS pegboard separately and my mind immediately jumped to combining the two, because they looked similar in size.

However, the width of the pegboard is actually 0.75″ wider than the width of the cart, and I left, dismayed. When my router’s power adapter overheated and failed in Vancouver’s 2021 summer heatwave though, I decided to revisit the project.

Initial experiments

I initially tried to mount the SKÅDIS pegboard into a cheap LAIVA bookshelf, but it was not very aesthetically pleasing to look at, and it defeated my objective of saving space: I now had a random bookshelf occupying even more room.

When I next passed by the VESKEN cart again, I deliberated whether or not the difference in widths was that big of a deal: a difference of 0.75″ meant half of that, or 3/8″ sticking out from either side. I decided to give it a shot.

The VESKEN cart didn’t look like it could hold up to drilling into either the plastic shelves or the posts, but the SKÅDIS was riddled with holes, so I decided to fasten the pegboard to the cart using zip-ties. From there, I mounted my networking equipment onto the pegboard and stood it up … only to discover the weight of the equipment and power adapters near the back of the entire assembly made it prone to falling backwards.

Back to IKEA I went and purchased another VESKEN cart, using only one set of legs and a shelf to raise the cart by another tier, and I placed a UPS battery backup at the bottom, ensuring the cart would never tip over.

Since assembling my home networking cart, I’ve received multiple requests to build them for others, so I thought I would inspire others to build one for themselves.

IKEA items used:
IKEA VESKEN trolley and SKADIS pegboard
Other materials and tools:

DIY Home Networking Cart

  1. Assemble the VESKEN cart per the included instructions.

If you wish to add additional tiers, purchase an additional VESKEN cart, keeping in mind to use only one set of post covers and casters.

2. Align the SKÅDIS pegboard behind the VESKEN cart, and secure it against the posts using 4 zip-ties; two above, and two below the center shelf.

DIY IKEA Home Networking Cart

3. Attach your networking equipment to the SKÅDIS pegboard using the SKÅDIS elastic cords.

Cords and power adapters can be hidden behind the pegboard; however, this may make the entire cart back-heavy and prone to tipping over. Hence, another shelf was added at the bottom to accommodate a (heavy) UPS battery backup, which helped keep the cart standing upright.

DIY IKEA Home Networking Cart

~ by Thomas

The post IKEA pegboard and cart make home networking a thing of beauty appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WOW! Internet Plans

bbernard/Shutterstock About WOW!  WOW! (also known as Wide Open West) offers cable, fiber and DSL internet, phone and television services for customers in nine states providing services to over 7 million people . You can find WOW! internet in metropolitan areas like Montgomery, AL, Chicago, IL, Detroit, MI, and 16+ other markets. There are WOW! Internet package choices with speeds ranging from 100 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) to fit your streaming, gaming and browsing needs. WOW! Internet: what you need to know Check out this quick-reference guide for the most important things you’ll want to know about WOW! internet prices, speeds and availability.  WOW! products Cable, fiber and DSL internet, TV and phone WOW! internet speeds Up to 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) WOW! internet prices Plans starting at $59.99/mo. WOW! availability 19+ markets in 9 states Contract required? Contracts are required for promotional pricing *As of 03/12/2020  WOW! intern...
Post a Comment
Read more

SKÅDIS: 5 ways to make the IKEA pegboard even better

IKEA introduced its own pegboard system, SKÅDIS, two years ago and I’d say it’s one of the best systems IKEA launched in recent years. I love how super customisable it is, with a growing range of accessories that help keep things organized. It works everywhere, in your wardrobe to bathroom . Probably anywhere you have a flat surface to hang it up. Photo: IKEA.com SKÅDIS pegboard system See it on IKEA.com But no matter how perfect a system, you can trust IKEA hackers to improve on the SKÅDIS. And they’ve settle these 5 issues you may have faced with the handy IKEA pegboard. Read on for their fixes. 5 IKEA SKÅDIS issues and fixes #1 Expensive hooks? You’ll need quite a number of hooks and accessories to fill up the SKÅDIS pegboard, and Kenyer was shocked at how quickly they all added up. So he figured he could make his own hooks to save cost. Photo: Kenyer Over at Instructables , he shows us how to twist copper wires into the SKÅDIS hook shape. It works s...
Post a Comment
Read more

KALLAX desk ideas: Three ways to set up a workstation

Three great ideas for a KALLAX desk . #1 Compact, minimalist desk for laptop I put together a KALLAX desk for my laptop for just under 25 euros. Just a KALLAX 2×2 is needed. No other materials required. IKEA item used: KALLAX 2 x 2 (77 x 77 cm) KALLAX 2×2 | IKEA.com All you need to do is assemble 3 of the pieces in a U shape. That is all.  If you want to strengthen the structure you would need to drill a couple of holes in order to use the long middle shelf of the KALLAX unit as a back reinforcer. Easy and it works. ~ by Fabio Tudela #2 KALLAX standing desk I choose to stand at work because it makes me feel infinitely more productive. Our department recently moved into a new building and we had the opportunity to design our own spaces. Items Used: VIKA AMON / TORNLIDEN table top x 2 (discontinued, replaced by LINNMON ) KALLAX 4 cube x 2 KALLAX drawer unit x 2 8 – 3″ locking casters / wheels 1 – 6′ zinc brace I had a few VIKA AMON tables ...
Post a Comment
Read more